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Have You Seen This? Bug guy dismantles enormous wasp nest
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Who knew nests could even be this gigantic? - photo by Angie Treasure
Angie Treasure
KSL.com
Published: Nov 23, 2017, 1:10 PM
THE SHED I remember the first time I got stung by a bee.

I was 6 or 7 years old and I was rolling down the hill across from my house when I felt a really intense pinch in my arm. I stopped in my grass trodden tracks to see that I'd squashed a bee with my tiny bicep (which is approximately when the screaming started).

The second time I got stung, I was picking up a bag only to feel what I figured was a needle penetrating my middle finger. Turns out, a wasp had nestled into the fabric handles and gotten me right in the digit, which ended up swelling to an uncomfortable size.

With a good decade or so between me and the memory of having a stinger stuck in my skin, watching the internet's latest viral video still made me squeamish (and itchy).

The YouTube account Stinger Creations released a video yesterday that shows a GoPro's view of a wasp nest removal, only this is no volleyball-sized nest. It's a sprawling, shed-filling, "here's a motorized scooter for size reference" looking monstrosity.

In the video, we see a survey of the nest, some points of reference for size differentiation and so, so many swarming, buzzing wasps around this man who doesn't seem too bothered by the idea of entering into a confined space full of potentially stingy doom. I've seen "My Girl." I know how this story ends.

But Stinger Creations obviously knows what he's doing, as evidenced by his previous uploads, "Bee Swarm Season" and "Bee removal with bare hands."

Personally, I'm glad heroes like this are out there.
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News
Published: Aug 13, 2018, 1:39 PM
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.